layanluvstotravel

After thinking we weren’t going to the Balkans after all, we have now booked our flight and are ready to go! We fly into Zagreb and out of Sarajevo starting June 7.

Our interests: Scenic drives, beautiful viewpoints, hiking/walking/strolling, we don’t swim but we love nature (and we do like history that connects with us).

Is the below a doable itinerary? We don’t want to move around too much (unnecessarily, that is). Our time is limited and we won't be back to this area (too many other countries we want to see).

Also, I want so badly to Zipline over the Cetina River near Split (there’s a tour that does that). My husband, I’m not so sure. How could we possibly fit that in? We also want to use a car as little as possible (only when it saves us time).

Night 1 (6/7): Fly into Zagreb (Zagreb) Friday

Night 2 (6/8): Wander around Zagreb (Zagreb) Saturday

Night 3 (6/9): Wake up early, rent car and drive to Plitvice Lakes (Plitvice Lakes) Sunday

Night 4 (6/10): Drive to visit Krka National Park (is 3 hours enough?) (entrance is at Lozovac, parking is free, Skradinski Buk waterfall, Roski slap waterfall (beautiful trail)) then Klis Fortress (needs 1 hour) then Trogir (2 hours) then end in Split (possibly stay at Palace Judita Heritage hotel) (Split) Monday

Night 5 (6/11): Get rid of car (?), Diocletian’s Palace, stroll the seafront promenade, visit Marjan Hill (is this doable in a day?), Split (Split) Tuesday

Night 6 (6/12): Day trip to island of Brac (Zlatni Rat Beach, Brac Olive Oil museum and hike Vidova Gora, highest point in the Adriatic Sea: doable in a day?) (Split) Wednesday

Night 7 (6/13): Take bus (scenic route) to Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik) Thursday

Night 8 (6/14): Walk the walls, view from the cable car, wander the old town, visit Fort Lovrijenac Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik) Friday

Night 9 (6/15): Day trip to Kotor, (we may opt for a group tour to make it easier on us, and if my husband doesn't want to come then he has that option) Montenegro (Dubrovnik) Saturday

Night 10 (6/16): Day trip to the Island of Korcula (Dubrovnik) Sunday --- starting to look inconvenient. May swap a day for the ziplining in Omis

Night 11 (6/17): Bus to Mostar (maybe stay at Hotel-Restaurant Kriva-Cuprija) Stari Most (old bridge) and wander around (Mostar) Monday

Night 12 (6/18): Rent car (from Mostar?) to drive to see Pocitelj, Blagaj Tekke, Lake Jablanica, Konjic as we head toward Sarajevo (Sarajevo) (possibly stay at the Courtyard Marriott) Tuesday

Night 13 (6/19): Walk the Old Town Sarajevo (Sarajevo) Wednesday

6/20: Fly out of Sarajevo Thursday

Your advice is appreciated!

kja

Should be nice!

Will have have at least 6-7 hours in the Plitvice Lakes? IME, that's what a basic circuit takes, and I do recommend it. BUT the park is getting so crowded that I think most people are now recommending that you do part of the circuit (there is a natural break) late one day and the other part early the next, and I'm not sure you have time for that on 6/10. Also, please see this recent thread: Online booking - Plitvice National Park

There are multiple entrances to the Krka National Park. I believe the one you mention should be fine, but I'm not positive. How much time the park takes depends on what you want to do. If you want to go into the upper lakes, then you need to make several boat connections and I seriously doubt that you could do so in 3 hours. If you just want the lower part -- the part that I believe goes from the Lozovac entrance to Skradinski Buk and back -- 3 hours should probably work.

I'm not sure what your question is about the car -- I don't see why you would keep it after arriving in Split. Or maybe you could return the car in Split before going to Trogir? Trogir is only about 1/2 hour away by frequent bus.

The things you list for Split should be possible in a day (although there is much more to Split).

Oh, I love that bus ride! Sit to the right (west) so you are looking out over the water and islands.

That might possibly be do-able, but I'm not sure it would be a relaxing way to spend your time. Are you planning to visit Lokrum from Dubrovnik?

Another wonderful bus ride!
It's been a while, but I must admit that I had a truly awful experience at the Hotel Kriva-Cuprija. Great location, terrible room, horrible service. But as I said, it has been a while....

I know your priorities don't include a lot of city stuff, but your time in charming Sarajevo is SOOooooo very limited, and as you know, it is not the easiest place to reach! Are you sure you want to go that far for such little time? Maybe it will work for you; I would find it extraordinarily frustrating.


Hope that helps!

layanluvstotravel

kja, thank you! The more I read about Sarajevo, the more I agree with you. Should I cut Mostar to 1 night and then we head (I guess by bus) to Sarajevo?

kja

IMO, one can see the highlights of Mostar in something just under 24 hours, so depending on your interests, a single night in Mostar might work for you. I traveled in the reverse direction, and took a train between Sarajevo and Mostar. You can check your transportation options on rome2rio.com, just be sure to click through to the underlying web pages, as the main web site is not sensitive to seasonal variation in schedules.

kja

BTW, I think that your trip is very rushed, even if do-able -- but didn't say anything about that in particular because it sounded like you were well aware of it.

layanluvstotravel

Yes, I agree. I'm still working on making it a little less rushed (my husband would appreciate that). How's this?

Night 1 (6/7): Fly into Zagreb (Zagreb) Friday

Night 2 (6/8): Wander around Zagreb (Zagreb) Saturday

Night 3 (6/9): Wake up early, rent car and drive to Plitvice Lakes, reserve tickets online (take boat to other side), need 6-7 hours at park, drive takes 2 hours (Plitvice Lakes) Sunday

Night 4 (6/10): If we stay near Plitvice Lakes, then we can get to the park again in the early morning to finish anything we didn’t see first day. Drive to Klis Fortress (needs 1 hour) then Trogir (1/2 hour from Split, needs 2 hours) before arriving in Split (possibly stay at Palace Judita Heritage hotel) (Split) Monday

Night 5 (6/11): Get rid of car in Split, Diocletian’s Palace, stroll the seafront (Riva) promenade, Konoba Fetivi for Seafood restaurant, go up the Marjan Hill (amazing view points), Split (Split) Tuesday

Night 6 (6/12): Day trip to island of Brac (Zlatni Rat Beach, and hike Vidova Gora, highest point in the Adriatic Sea) (Split) Wednesday

Night 7 (6/13): Zipline over the Cetina River (Omis), climb the bell tower for the view, Bokeria Kitchen (gourmet burgers) near (Split) Thursday

Night 8 (6/14): Take bus (scenic route) to Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik) 4 ½ hours, Eat at Mea Culpa Restaurant (Pizza, Pasta) Friday

Night 9 (6/15): Walk the walls (about 1 hour), view from the cable car, wander the old town, visit Fort Lovrijenac (city wall ticket lets you have access to this fort) Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik) Saturday

Night 10 (6/16): Day trip to Kotor, (probably a group tour to make it easier on us, they stop at Perast, option to visit island of Our Lady of the rocks, St. Stefan, Old Town of Kotor and Budva around $60) Montenegro (Dubrovnik) Sunday

Night 11 (6/17): Bus to Mostar (maybe stay at Hotel-Restaurant Kriva-Cuprija) Stari Most (old bridge) and wander around, Restoran Divan (Mostar) Monday

Night 12 (6/18): Bus (or train?) toward Sarajevo (Sarajevo) (possibly stay at the Courtyard Marriott) Tuesday

Night 13 (6/19): Walk the Old Town Sarajevo (Sarajevo) Wednesday

6/20: Fly out of Sarajevo Thursday

kja

Better.
Have you confirmed that online reservations for the Plitvice Lakes will, in fact, be an option when you will be there?
Don't skip the Buza Bar in Dubrovnik.
Don't assume that your time estimates will be correct. At best, they are estimates. With the crowds when you will be there, some things could take MUCH longer than you think.

Good luck!

layanluvstotravel

Hi Kja, yes, they are available and they now have 2 day tickets too so that gives us some flexibility with where we stay.

I'm thinking to replace Night 7 (Ziplining day trip from Split) for a day trip to Mostar (rather than have it on Night 11) and then use Night 11 for an extra day in Sarajevo. OR leave Mostar as a 1 night trip, add another day for Sarajevo and just remove the Ziplining day.

Thoughts? Sarajevo just sounds so different from the rest of our trip.

kja

IMO, Mostar is much more interesting and much more pleasant after day trippers leave, so if you are willing to skip the zip lining and add a day to Sarajevo, I think it would be well worth considering.

And yes, IME, Sarajevo is very different than any other place you will visit. As is Mostar. As is Split. And Trogir. And Dubrovnik. (Well, you'll probably see the similarities between Dubrovnik and Kotor, not that there aren't also differences.) Etc. Truly, this area of the world is filled with small places that are decidedly different than anything that, with today's vehicles and cars, seem just around the corner, but were once mountain ranges, seas, and walls away.